I’m supposed to be nice; I’m supposed to be polite, concerned and caring all the time, acquiescing to those whose feelings are easily hurt, rarely if ever speaking truth to them because it might cause them to become emotionally upset.
Never speak personally to anyone about their need for growth in any area my friends if you want to have any friends.
“For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:” (Prov. 6:23)
Not for most.
If you follow Matthew 5:37, “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” they will refuse to converse with you any longer, if you correct in love, they will withdraw.
This is a basic truth of human nature, it will not be accepted as it is offered, they will hear derogatory comments on their own standard of life, this verse is a truth only for those who understand these truths.
“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” (Prov. 9:9)
Teaching is not just the imparting of new information, it is correcting when beliefs held are shown to be invalid, it is reproving when those false ideologies will not be admitted as such. And it is rebuking when those lies believed are not only not repented of, but when they are spread to others.
It would be wise of you to accept this truth, most people that you meet do not want their minds transformed, because most people do not like being corrected, much less taught truths about themselves. “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” (1st Cor. 11:31)
Yet those of us who have been set upon this path when we attempt to correct, even in love, we are seen as judgmental.
Every man of God knows this truth, for we have applied it a thousand times to ourselves, we do judge ourselves, and each time we find ourselves lacking. And so those who will not take that next step play the game, never correct or attempt to instruct, or you might hurt their feelings, never point out faults that should be addressed, just accept them as they are.
I cannot do that, though it seems harsh at times, the truth has no emotional context within it. And so, with some we simply let them go their way, not exactly lost sheep, but rarely desiring to face the hard questions within themselves, and if you attempt to assist them, they will, in one sense of the word, hate you.
They are not your enemy, they are your neighbors, they are your brothers and sisters in Christ, and they are not going to change, this is a truth you must accept.
“A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.” (Isaiah 42:3)
And you must not break or quench them either.
I have learned this in my walk with Christ, some people are weak emotionally, but have a simple, and in many ways, stronger faith than I could ever hope to attain to, my beautiful wife is one of these people.
I am a hard man who has much difficulty with those who are content to stay where they are, when I know there is so much more to learn, and to willingly give up. Most that I speak to in regard to these truths see me as contentious, too adamant, judgmental, as the Pharisee on the wall even. They do not understand that if I, and all those like me who have been set on this part of the path did not love them, we would just keep our mouths shut.
And my friends, that will be no problem with many of them, for they will avoid you at every possible opportunity.
They are not the blind, but they have decided to remain blind to much within their lives, it’s easier for them that way.
Remember that.
